1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a device for dispensing an adjustably controlled volume of liquid from a bottle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art, as best exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,368,540, 3,221,113 and 2,968,423, discloses a number of devices to be placed in the neck of a bottle to dispense controlled volumes of liquid therefrom. U.S. Pat. No. 2,368,540 discloses a device wherein a ball moving within a cylinder allows liquid to flow from a bottle for a set time, the quantity dispensed being controlled by adjusting an air vent screw. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,321,113, liquid in a fully vented bottle flows through a port of fixed size for a time that is controlled by varying the speed of travel of a ball in a chamber to a seated position. U.S. Pat. No. 2,968,423 discloses an adjustable pouring spout in which, while a ball falls at a nonadjustable rate in a chamber, liquid flows through chamber wall ports that are adjustably obstructed by a spout that is turned to move it into or out of the chamber.
Prior art devices that include means for adjusting flow suffer various drawbacks. In the U.S. Pat. No. 3,321,113, for example, the pourer must be removed from the bottle neck for adjustment. In the U.S. Pat. No. 2,968,423, no means are provided either to visually indicate the dispensing volume at a particular setting or to adjust in volumetric increments the dispensing volume.
An object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable pourer having a falling ball valve and an adjustable flow restriction to enable one to dispense repeated fixed quantities of liquid.
Another object is to provide an externally adjustable pourer with a rotatable spout having a vane or pointer overlying easily read indices to indicate clearly the dispensing volume.